Biblical Expositions

Disclaimer: You read this post at your own discretion. The writer owes no one any apology for the views shared here. He will be grateful, however, if the Bible can be returned to as our final authority and examined to know what truth really is.

“A Christian is not supposed to judge.”
“How can one judge if one is not perfect?”
“Didn’t Jesus ask us not to judge?”

I’m sure that you must have heard such statements uttered before. You may have even heard more. The whole talk about judgemental Christians has gained popularity in the last few decades. A lot of people (Christians inclusive) classify Christians into two categories: judgemental Christians and non-judgemental Christians. I’ll try to paint a picture of both categories briefly. Continue reading →

ENJOYED YOUR READ? DON`T FORGET TO SHARE!.

Like this:

There seems to be a lie that has gained popularity and acceptance in modern Christianity. And that lie is this: that any believer, group or denomination can exist on its own, being totally isolated from other believers, groups or denominations. I cannot trace the origin of this lie. But I know that it’s a lie.

Over the years, many churches, groups and denominations have broken off from their “mother churches”. It seems really plausible to many ministers to form denominations or churches after seemingly getting “fresh light” over some non-biblical practice or unscriptural doctrine present in their churches. What amazes me is how some of these new ministries openly criticize the churches that they once belonged to.

ENJOYED YOUR READ? DON`T FORGET TO SHARE!.

Like this:

This is the second post in the series Unequal Christianity. To read the first post, click here.

Ade frowned as his mum shared the slices of bread for breakfast between him and his older brother, Kunle. Ade was used to this breakfast every weekday – warm tea and a few slices of bread. His mum worked in a bank and had to resume work before 8am everyday. This prevented her from waking up early to cook. The properly made tea and the delicious Prom Bread wasn’t what made Ade frown. What made him frown was the fact that his mum had given Kunle two extra slices of bread.
“Ade, you should be used to this by now,” his mum said quietly. “The older among siblings will always have special privileges. They will receive bigger meats, eat larger meals and collect larger sums of money. There is no way that all siblings will have the same privileges.”
But Ade wasn’t one to believe in special privileges for older folks.
“We are equal, mum,” he had often told his mum, “we should enjoy the same privileges.”
His mum would often reply, “No, son, you’re not. But you’ll understand someday, Ade. You will.”
Adele hated the preferential treatment. If they loved me as much they loved Kunle, then we should be treated the exact same way, he would often tell himself. Sadly, Ade is a Nigerian and, in most cultures in the West African country, older siblings enjoy special privileges. In some families, the younger children end up having an inferior mindset. Many of them believe that they will always be at best “the alternative” and never the first choice among their older siblings.
But a different culture is seen in God’s Kingdom.

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.”
Rom. 8:17. NIV

In my own opinion, our siblinghood is unafrican. Why? Because nobody has greater privileges. Age doesn’t give anyone preferential treatment, neither does money or fame. No ones access is greater than that of another.

“And make a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet [stuff] and fine twined linen, skillfully worked with cherubim on it.
And you shall hang the veil from the clasps and bring the ark of the Testimony into place within the veil; and the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.”
Exo. 26:31,33. AMP

The High Priest (not just any priest) was the only one permitted to get into the Holy of Holies and it was only for once in a year. Imagine offending someone you love so much and not being able to meet that person face-to-face to apologize and hear that special person say, “I’ve forgiven you.” That’s exactly how was! The ordinary man never came to meet and know God personally. The High Priest would enter on behalf of the entire nation of Israel and make an atonement for all of their sins.
The concept of an intimate relationship with God was scarcely understood by the Israelites those days. The veil then stood as a divide between the outside world and the tangible presence of the Father. In my own words, “No man could come into the presence of the Father except through the veil.” And, boy, the veil had been a pretty sight – a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet and fine twined linen of cunning work.
But that pretty veil had prevented them from knowing God intimately. In fact, I believe that the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70 by the Romans signified an end to the old system. In a sense, that temple signified the continuation of the old covenant. Now we know that “the God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, doe not live in temples made by man.” (Acts 17:24)
We all know that He is the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Him. No more veil! But so many believers still have their own custom made veil. For some, their spiritual heads are their veils. For others, denominational doctrines and dogma exist as veils. Ignorance also stands as a veil for some.
I believe that we have the best gift from God since Adam fell – A.C.C.E.S.S. You can know God. No one has more access than you do. We all have the same “amount” of access. Just come boldly unto the throne of grace. You will not meet any gatekeeper. Let nothing and nobody stop you. Destroy whatever veil that still exists.

ENJOYED YOUR READ? DON`T FORGET TO SHARE!.

Like this:

​The concept of equality amongst all members of many religious group is highly underrated. I remember reading George Orwell’s Animal Farm many years ago. According to this political satire, animals on Manor Farm rebelled against the farm owner, Mr. Jones, under the leadership of two young pigs – Snowball and Napoleon. The pigs in the farm were the most literate. They even knew how to read. The farm was renamed “Animal Farm” after the ousting of Mr. Jones.

One major change in Animal Farm was the adoption of the Seven Commandments of Animalism, the most important of which had been, “All animals are equal.” Things moved quite smoothly on the farm until Mr. Jones, along with several of his men and other farm owners terrified of animal revolts, tried and failed to recapture Animal Farm. This failure definitely boosted the morale of those animals.

However, things began to get awry between Napoleon and Snowball. Napoleon orders his dogs to chase Snowball away and has himself declared leader. Napoleon also began to purge the farm with his dogs, killing animals he accused of working with Snowball. The pigs, under Napoleon, started to resemble humans – they wore clothes, carried whips and walked upright. A major adjustment came later as the Seven Commandments was abridged to a single phrase: “All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.”

Bottom line, Napoleon became the new leader. The animals realized that tyranny wasn’t peculiar to humans and that the rebellion didn’t bring exactly what they had imagined it would bring.

Are all believers equal? Imagine having an abridged version of the Seven Commandments of Animalism being upheld in Christendom: “All Christians are equal but some Christians are more equal than others.” While no such commandment exists in Christendom, some believers actually have something similar to this in their heads as part of their Theology.

“Surely all believers can’t be equal,” they might argue. “The apostles were definitely higher than the other believers after Jesus’ death and resurrection,” some would say. “Isn’t the five-fold ministry supposed to separate us all into strata? Ministry and spiritual gifts make us unequal.”

A brief look at Christendom today might actually strengthen these arguments. We have a Christianity where many lay people are taught to bow and cower before certain few. But the original picture of Christianity is a religion of equality. All Christians are equal. But if we are to say that two things, ideas, people, etc are equal, then we must have a measuring standard. Equality can’t be said to exist except a standard exists that is accepted by all the parties involved.

So, what is our measuring gauge? Simple! A.C.C.E.S.S. While I won’t be doing much exposition in this post, I’ll do so much in the next. I have often heard preachers emphasize on so many things in the Church – from faith to prosperity to spiritual gifts to love to holiness to grace. What I haven’t heard so much, however, is what I like to call The Doctrine of Equality. It’s Easter, the season we celebrate Christ’s death and His resurrection. And one thing that that resurrection brought was equality.

Access brought equality. The fact that we all have exactly the same degree of access means that we’re all equal. If some people had greater access, they could called “greater”. But we all have exactly the same access. Access determines ranking. I’ll do more exposition in the next post.

Like this:

Will you recognize a devil when you see one? Do you honestly think that you’ll be able to spot the differences between the devil and God when you see him? For many, the way to differentiate the devil from God is by their works. While this is a good way, I strongly believe that it is not sufficient. I know of folks who expect only good things from God and never bad things. In the same boat with them are those who believe that all bad things are from the devil.

There’s a little flaw in that theologicalstandpoint. Do we assume that the devil never gives good things? If we’re to recognize the devil only by his works, then we’re faced with a big problem because the devil also gives things that appear as good things. Do we also assume that God never sends trials? Trials never appear as good things. Trials are different from temptations. Temptations are meant to make you fall, not to make you stand. Trials are meant to make you stronger. And yes, trials do come from God. He doesn’t tempt us, but He tests us. So, works is a poor way to sufficiently differentiate between God and the devil.

If we judge simply by sight, we’ll never be able to adequately tell when the devil acts. A lot of folks have mistaken attacks from the devil as tests from God. So, we see believers struggling with certain habits and saying that it’s their thorninflesh. People take the experience of Paul out of context and make excuses for their struggles. We must learn to differentiate between God’s acts and the devil’s. We must learn to know when Jesus is in the boat and when He’s not. I find this as a very important part of our walk.

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

Job 1:16 [KJV]

The servant of Job knew that God sent lightning. He knew that it was part of His many capabilities. But at that moment, he mistook the lightning as God’s fire. He saw what he had been taught to believe as fire from God. There was no way that he would have imagined that the fire hadn’t been from God. The truth, however, had been that the fire had been orchestrated by the devil. Oh yes, the devil also dresses like God!

How many times have men who were full of the Spirit mistaken the fire from the devil as though it was from God. Jesus had even said, “Fake messiahs and lying preachers are going to pop up everywhere. Their impressive credentials and dazzling performances will pull the wool over the eyes of even those who ought to know better.” [Matt. 24:24, MSG]

We’re certain of two things. The first is that false men will surface (and they will look exactly like the real guys). Their works will look like the real thing even. Secondly, note that Jesus didn’t say that these guys might come. He said that they would come. Here again we see the believer faced with the task of knowing who is God’s and who is not. As in our day, when we have so many ministries, the believer is faced with the serious task of discerning who’sright and who’s not.

How will you know when the devil dresses like God? How do you define a move of God? How many times has God left and His children still announced His Presence? How exactly will one know when He’s in the room? These are tough questions for many. And I believe that tough questions need answers. Enough of people being our god. Every believer can know who is God’s man and who’s not. A lot don’t just know how to.

All answers can be easily answered using Scriptures. All, not some. God is not One who confuses His people. No, He’s not. He’s a Father that wants His children to understand Him.

Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

Jer. 9:23-24 [KJV]

I hope to go on a journey on this blog and share how we can answer some of these questions. Thanks for stopping by. Expect more in the weeks to come. Remain blessed!

ENJOYED YOUR READ? DON`T FORGET TO SHARE!.

Like this:

Perfection is a big word. It’s a big, scary word. Why? Because nobody ever seems to attain it. It’s the one thing that everybody pursues but never seem to attain, a height that we all fail to reach. At least that’s how a lot of us see perfection. When we imagine a perfect human, we see one without flaws. Somehow the perfect man or woman shouldn’t have one single character flaw. Perfect set of teeth, not too fat, not so slim, the perfect smile, an angelic voice, smart, intelligent and funny, with a great personality and rich (oh yes, that fellow much be rich). Everything must be without one flaw.

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Matt. 5:48 [KJV]

You just read one of the toughest pills for a lot of believers to swallow found in the New Testament. Why is this verse so hard to accept? Why is it a tough pill to swallow? For many, this portion of Scripture is one that is to be skipped or at best ignored. Surely no man can be as perfect as God is. How will Jesus even think of asking us to be perfect, even as The Father is perfect? Surely Jesus was making a mistake. Maybe Matthew misinterpreted what He had actually said.

God had actually given the same instruction to Abraham many years before Jesus had even been born. So, two different times, God gets this message across to us: Be ye perfect (Gen. 1:17, Matt. 5:48). God does not waste words. I usually see God as One so busy that He doesn’t have the time to just talk the way that we humans do.

So, we know that God takes this perfection thing serious. He means it. He longs to see us perfect. Hard to believe? It shouldn’t be. God never makes a demand on you that you’ll be unable to respond to. If God says, “Jump,” then believe that you can jump. He has put inside you something that can make you jump. I think that’s where we must start from in our walk: believing that we can become perfect.

My list of flaws is endless. I’m exceedingly sinful. I am the biggest failure upon the face on the earth. I can’t even sustain a relationship. I’ve lost so many friends simply because I talk too much. My anger has gotten me in trouble so many times. I’m 30 already, can anything change? Can this perfection that Jesus talks of ever become a reality in my life? My life is too much of a mess for me to even say the word.

How then on Earth can I become perfect? Okay, I believe that perfection can be attained, but how? How can this weak person ever become as strong as a lion? How will perfection come? Should I fast more and eat less? Should I pray more? Is there some magical formula that somehow make men perfect?

I think we need to understand what perfection means before moving on. In God’s eye, when is a man perfect? The answer is simple: when that corn that springs forth looks exactly like that which died.

Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over.

Jn. 12:24 [MSG]

So, He expects us to look just like the corn that died in order to bring us into the Kingdom. Paul wrote in His letter to the Roman church, “God knew what He was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of His Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity He restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in Him. After God made that decision of what His children should be like, He followed it up by calling people by name.” (Rom. 8:29-30, MSG)

So, everyone does not have their own individual standard with which he/she measures his/her perfection. There is one standard: Jesus Christ. So, perfection for us today means that we look exactlylikeJesus. Tough? Difficult? Impossible? Look for any word that connotes impossibility. But God never places any demand that we’ll be unable to respond to. Jesus told us to be perfect because we can and not because we can’t!

Clive Staples Lewis, Christian apologist and popular author who lived last century, wrote in his book Mere Christianity the best explanation that I’ve ever read on the subject.

That is why He warned people to “count the cost” before becoming Christians. “Make no mistake,” He says, “if you let me, I will make you perfect. The moment you put yourself in My hands, that is what you are in for. Nothing less, or other, than that. You have free will, and if you choose, you can push Me away. But if you do not push Me away, understand I am going to see this job through.

Whatever suffering it may cost you in your earthly life, whatever inconceivable purification it may cost you in your earthly life, whatever inconceivable purification it may cost you after death, whatever it costs Me, I will never rest, nor let you rest, until you are literally perfect — until my Father can say without reservation that He is well pleased with you, as He said He was well pleased with me. This I can do and will do. But I will not do anything less.”

So, it’s not about whether or not you can work out your way and be perfect on your own. He’s ready to work in you. So long as you yield your members unto righteousness, you’ll be perfect. As long as you remain patient while He works in you, you’ll be perfect. Perfection becomes a thing of surrender and not of struggle.

But watch out! He’ll prune the unnecessary things from your life. He’ll strip you of some pleasurable things. You’ll lose your comfort. You might even cry so much. Surgery is never pleasant, and that’s why doctors use anaesthesia for their patients. The Holy Spirit will work so tirelessly in you and with you (it’s a partnership) until you look just like the grain of wheat that died.

So, perfection is attainable. Don’t let anyone ever tell you something different. If God said so, then it is so.